Abstract
Silica-filled rubber compounds have slower cure characteristics than carbon black-filled ones due to the adsorption of curatives on the silica surface. Fatty acid was used as a cure activator along with zinc oxide in a sulfur cure system. Poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, was used in silica-filled rubber compounds to prevent adsorption of the curatives on the silica surface. In this study, influence of the size of fatty acid and PEG on properties of silica-filled NR compounds was investigated. It was found that the size of fatty acid and PEG affected the curt: characteristics and physical properties. The cure rate becomes faster as the PEG size increases. By increasing the size of fatty acid or PEG, the delta torque of the compound decreases while the Mooney viscosity increases. The modulus of the vulcanizate decreases with increasing the molecular weight of fatty acid or PEG. The experimental results were explained by the filler dispersion and by the prevention of the curative-adsorption on the silica surface.